Blue Moon: A nearly full moon colored by smoke from the Los
Angeles area Station Fire rises over buildings at Forest Lawn Memorial Park
while the private funeral of Michael Jackson took place. A statement from the
Jackson family said the pop star's casket was interred at 2143 local time (0243
ET). "The Jackson family wishes to once again thank all of Michael's fans around
the world for their generous outpouring of support during this terribly
difficult time," the statement read.

Reclusive screen star Elizabeth
Taylor might have been speaking on behalf of all of Michael Jackson's fans when
she emotionally lamented the loss of her longtime friend. "We shouldn't have to
be here," Taylor told fellow mourners at Jackson's funeral on Thursday. "It
shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have passed away."

Nonetheless, nearly 200 of Jackson's closest friends and family
tried their best to say goodbye to the entertainer at Forest Lawn Memorial Park
in Glendale, Calif. Even his shyest show business friends attended after
shunning the massive public memorial in July. Longtime pal Macaulay Culkin sat
with girlfriend Mila Kunis, while Jackson's ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley gave his
mother Katherine a tearful embrace. Taylor was perhaps the most impressive of
the guests. After publicly proclaiming that she would not be part of the July
memorial's "hoopla," she gave in to a more private display of sorrow at the
funeral. "She shed some tears," says one guest.

Held in the shadow of Forest Lawn's Great Mausoleum on a
warm summer night, the service proved a fitting setting for such star-studded
grief. A "Thriller"-esque moon tinted orange by the smoke from the nearby forest
fires added to the dramatic backdrop. The specially built stage was adorned with
six large bouquets of white lilies, white roses and green topiaries. Portraits
of Jackson served as bookends for his casket.

Jackson's family was not
upstaged by the evening's more famous mourners, and dominated the affair that
began with his brothers — Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy — serving as
pallbearers. Randy then escorted Jackson's three children, Prince Michael, Paris
Katherine and Prince Michael II, to the coffin, where the children laid a crown
at its head as a tribute to the King of Pop. They then returned to their front
row seats near their grandparents. There was no repeat of Paris's touching
moment at the memorial when she tearfully addressed the crowd, calling Jackson
"the best father I could imagine"; during Thursday's ceremony, the children
stayed silent. "But they were very composed and strong and would have made their
father proud," says the guest. (See TIME's tribute to Michael Jackson and
coverage of the events surrounding his death.)

Family patriarch Joe Jackson was also
front and center. He was one of the first family members to arrive at the event,
exiting one of their five rented Phantom Rolls Royces with his grandchildren in
tow. A controversial figure, Joe spoke at the funeral in defense of his son. "He
felt people had been trying to cheat Michael," says the guest. "He said that
they will find out what led to Michael's death. And said they will not rest
until they found out."

Jackson's lesser-known friends were also given a
moment to share their memories of the fallen star. The spontaneous speeches were
some of the most poignant. One in particular was delivered by David Rothenberg,
a burn victim who Jackson took care of for years after 90% of his body was
scorched in a childhood fire. "He was very scarred over all of his body," says a
guest. "He spoke about Michael and how he cared for [Rothenberg] for so long
without asking for anything in return. It was very moving." (See the top 10
Michael Jackson moments.)

At the end of the ceremony, Jackson's brothers
led a procession of guests as they carried his casket into the Holly Terrace of
the Great Mausoleum. Each person was allowed one final, personal farewell before
walking away. One guest pointed to longtime Jackson family friend Clifton Davis'
rendition of "Never Can Say Goodbye" (a song he wrote for the Jackson 5)
performed earlier in the night as a fitting summary of the collective sentiment.
"[Davis] stopped the song at the end and said 'Michael, we can't say goodbye,'"
the guest recalls. "'But what we can say is that we love you.'" (See pictures of
people around the world mourning Michael Jackson.)

"That sent shivers
down my spine," says the guest. "It was so emotional. And so
true."

Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Jackie Jackson and Randy Jackson are
seen attending their late brother's service.